For M8/8.2/9 owners

[Gabriel M.A.]

Originally Posted by coelacanth

It goes both ways. Many asked me "is that the digital Leica?" when was carrying M2 or MP, and some said "wow that's an old camera!" when I had my M8.2.

The M8 tends to "confuse" people (it's a crapshoot question re: is it digital or film), but the M2 people get right away that it's a film camera (how many digital cameras out there are made with unmistakably thick shiny metal?), specially after I've done that old-fashioned film winding.

People love the M2 far more than the M8 at first sight. When I tell them how many photos I take on an average week, they do some quick math and realize that a crazy guy like that ought to be shooting digital.

[hteasley]

I taped my M9 up for a while, until I came to realize that no one below 50 years old knows what a Leica is anymore. Anyone who is going to steal from me is going to do so in spite of me carrying an obviously ancient camera around, not because of it.

Like several folks in the thread, I get compliments on my ancient MP and M9, and inquiries about why I don't shoot digital.

[pgk]

In the last 5 years I've probably had 1 comment per year regarding my M8s. 4 have been about it being a Leica (just people somewhat interested) and the other was a client perplexed at seeing me use an (acceptable) Canon dSLR but disconcerted that I'd also shoot on a small (compact?) camera - the price of it reassured him though.

[leicashot]

Originally Posted by hteasley

I taped my M9 up for a while, until I came to realize that no one below 50 years old knows what a Leica is anymore. Anyone who is going to steal from me is going to do so in spite of me carrying an obviously ancient camera around, not because of it.

Like several folks in the thread, I get compliments on my ancient MP and M9, and inquiries about why I don't shoot digital.

Not sure where you live but these days the Leica is noticed more than most other cameras, regardless of branding etc.

[dave lackey]

Originally Posted by leicashot

Not sure where you live but these days the Leica is noticed more than most other cameras, regardless of branding etc.

Not around here! No one ever asks about the M3...

[furcafe]

I get the "nice camera" comment on my RFs (not necessarily Leicas as many people think all RFs are "Leicas") about once or twice/week. About 1/2 of those making that comment about the M9 think it's a film body.

I think anyone who's "showing off" a Leica of any kind is doing so to a very small group of people, predominantly photo nerds, but also quite a few art school grads, design aficionados who've dabbled (or dabble) in photography, & working photographers. The M9 is likely to impress only a subset of that already small group that's up on the latest tech. However, if that's your thing, it does sort of work on occasion. When I shot a J. Crew fashion event for a local web site, we were trying to interview the head men's designer. He immediately recognized the M9 & we chatted about it a little, which may have helped break the ice for the writer to do his job.

[Beemermark]

Originally Posted by Roger Hicks

quite a few don't even realize that Leica makes a digital M. Some even say, "Nice to see a proper old film camera being used."
R.

I get a lot of "wow, what a eat old film camera". They don't know what a Leica is and they are amazed when I show them the digital screen.

[jsrockit]

In NYC, I get asked about my M9 a lot and my X100 occasionally. Sometimes the X100 is mistaken for a Leica. I'd say I get youngish women and older men asking about the Leica and youngish men for the X100. I think the youngish women know luxury brands even if they aren't into cameras. Perhaps it says "rich guy" to them? Well, the only rich guy thing I own is a Leica...

[Ben Z]

I've never had anyone anywhere other than at an LHSA meet-up ask me about the M8 or M9, or in fact any Leica I have ever owned. I've never taped up nameplates or logos either. It seems to me anyone who knows what a Leica is worth can recognize it even if the logos are taped up.

[Tompas]

Originally Posted by jsrockit

(...) Well, the only rich guy thing I own is a Leica...

Ha! They finally admit it: a Leica is a rich guy thing!

[Bruin]

Do you guys think a chrome body is more likely to be mistaken for an old film camera?

[jsrockit]

Originally Posted by Tompas

Ha! They finally admit it: a Leica is a rich guy thing!

Well, to me... even if I own one... a $7000 camera can only be considered just that. It doesn't mean you have to be rich to own one, but you certainly can't be broke.

[jsrockit]

Originally Posted by Ben Z

It seems to me anyone who knows what a Leica is worth can recognize it even if the logos are taped up.

Exactly!!!!

[collum]

almost every comment i get is about how good it is that someone's still shooting with a film camera.. and an old one at that...

[furcafe]

Yes, all other things being equal. Everyone I know who has the Fuji X100, for example, has had people mistake it for a film camera; I doubt it would happen as often w/a black version.

Relatively few "modern" (post late 1980s) cameras have chrome or visible metallic parts, whereas most cameras from about the late 1920s through the early '80s that I can think of had some kind of chrome or silver finish as part of their design. Of course, black paint & finishes was available long before the '80s, but that was mostly for photojournalists, etc., starting in the '50s. Really old cameras from the late 1920s & before were often black, too, but those usually have other visible features that make them obviously vintage (bellows, large size, wood, etc.).

Originally Posted by Bruin

Do you guys think a chrome body is more likely to be mistaken for an old film camera?

[tjh]

I was at a wedding with my M9 last weekend and was asked, "Where do you get film these days?".

[mugget]

Originally Posted by telemetre

The reactions I got for my film M (have it for 4-5 years) , were "what an odd looking camera", "Leica, hmm, never heard of it", oh and angry (?) looks from an elderly Italian gentleman.

All in all I think Leica M's are a pretty lousy choice for showing off, but maybe gold plating can take care of that?

Hahaha an angry look??!
Now I really want to know what he could possibly have been angry about... (you weren't taking photos of him, were you?)

I have not yet used my M8 very much, most was while I was recently in Japan and I wore it for about 8-9 days while I was just walking around or on the train - practically everywhere. I had taped up the logo and "M8" text because honestly I was a bit anxious of being rolled for it, and I just wanted to take photos unnoticed. But really I don't know how much more a little red dot is going to make people notice you...

One guy at a bottle shop said "you have a very nice camera", I'm sure he recognized it. A friend I was travelling with noticed an old guy on a train checking out the camera, but being a non-Japanese speaking person in Japan there was not much chance of someone asking me about it.

Next mission is to wear it everywhere I go around home, and see what kind of reaction it gets.

[jsrockit]

Such cranky folks here getting upset that someone likes their camera. Most of the time I like when people stop and ask me... especially the sexy european women.

[ChrisLivsey]

I have had more comments recently since I started using a Barton braided neck strap;
http://www.reddotcameras.co.uk/produ...oducts_id=4031

I may have to back to a plain black

Going the other way have you approached a stranger to ask about their camera ?

I admit to one, but it was a hasselblad H3D being used on the street and he wasn't a dentist (Well he said he wasn't)

[JohnTF]

I was at a photo exhibit, and I believe it was the photographer who asked me if the M8 was a "classic M3", I have since moved to the M9, perhaps he will think it is an M4 next time?

I notice other RF's, --seeing a Bessa in public almost demands a question as to the name they use to post on RFF.

Regards, John

[Johann Espiritu]

Was shooting my M7 today and someone asked me if it was an M9. But the reverse is more common, people saying I'm using an "old school" camera when I shoot with my M9.

[paulfish4570]

that barton strap is beautiful - and affordable ...

[FA Limited]

if picking up chicks is the name of the game then TLRs are the way to go
i shoot w/ my Hassy and i've been approached by other ex-Hassy users

[jsrockit]

Well, if you are buying a camera to get chicks, I think it's a losing effort most of the time. I would say there are better things to attract women with than cameras.

[umcelinho]

i live in São Paulo, Brazil, and never ever I was asked about any of the cameras I had with me by random people on the streets, but a camera salesman at a flea market once asked me how old my R-D1 was.. 15, 17 years old?

In the US I've been asked "is this a Leica" or "beautiful Leica" a couple times... again about my R-D1! In Europe I saw many more people shooting rangefinders than in the US, but no one ever asked me about the cameras I was using.

I wouldn't mind it, really, I think it's nice to see people recognise a different camera apart from the Nikon/Canon block, even more if it's a folder, or a TLR etc..